{"id":51,"date":"2013-03-05T19:55:49","date_gmt":"2013-03-06T00:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/03\/valdosta-famous-for-wastewater-in-rivers-all-the-way-to-the-gulf.html"},"modified":"2013-03-05T19:55:49","modified_gmt":"2013-03-06T00:55:49","slug":"valdosta-famous-for-wastewater-in-rivers-all-the-way-to-the-gulf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/03\/valdosta-famous-for-wastewater-in-rivers-all-the-way-to-the-gulf.html","title":{"rendered":"Valdosta famous for wastewater in rivers all the way to the Gulf"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wwals.net\/2012\/08\/22\/our-watershed\/\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;\" class=\"at-xid-6a0120a58214e4970b017d41854469970c\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017d41854469970c-pi.jpg\"   width=\"215\" height=\"360\"  \/><\/a>\nThe VDT had a small front page headline yesterday:\n<a href=\"http:\/\/valdostadailytimes.com\/todays-top-stories\/x564668739\/Floridians-warned-about-Withlacoochee-River-contamination\">\n&#8220;Floridians warned about river contamination&#8221;<\/a>.\nThat story was also heard in Florida, in\nMadison, Gainesville, and elsewhere,\nemphasizing something that Valdosta didn&#8217;t mention:\npeople live downstream of Valdosta&#8217;s wastewater spill,\nall the way down the Withlacoochee and the Suwannee Rivers\nto the Gulf of Mexico.\nThe story also made the AJC.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nGreen Publishing, Inc, which covers Madison, Lee, and Greenville, Florida, reported yesterday,\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.greenepublishing.com\/?p=9642\">\nALERT: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WARNS OF POSSIBLE WASTEWATER CONTAMINATION:\nGA wastewater plan overflow may impact Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\nTALLAHASSEE- The Florida Department of Health (DOH) today issued a\ncaution to residents in the counties surrounding the Withlacoochee\nand Suwannee rivers. The Withlacoochee Water Pollution Control Plant\nin Valdosta, GA has overflowed into the Withlacoochee River, which\nflows south, connecting with the Suwannee River.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\nOther news venues carrying the story:\n<\/p>\n\n<!--more-->\n<ul>\n<li>\nCitrus Daily, Citrus County, which I think is on the <em>other<\/em>\nWithlacoochee River in Florida, but Levy County is on the Suwannee,\n<a href=\"http:\/\/citrusdaily.com\/levy-among-florida-counties-affected-georgia-wastewater-pollution\/2013\/03\/04\/110896.html\">\nLevy among Florida counties affected by Georgia wastewater pollution<\/a>,\n<blockquote>\n<p>\nThe Florida Department of Environmental Protection is scheduled to\ncollect water samples from the area, and the testing results will be\navailable within the next week.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nUntil further information is known regarding possible contamination\nof the rivers, citizens are urged to avoid contact with the\nWithlacoochee and Suwannee rivers. This includes those individuals\nin the counties of Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy,\nMadison, and Suwannee counties.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<li>\nDixie County Advocate,\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DixieCountyAdvocate\/posts\/541257282564205\">\nFLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WARNS OF POSSIBLE WASTEWATER CONTAMINATION\n~GA wastewater plan overflow may impact Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers~<\/a>\n<blockquote>\nWater contaminated by wastewater overflow presents several health hazards\nto humans and may contain untreated human sewage with microbes that\ncould cause gastro-intestinal and other diseases.\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mygtn.tv\/story\/21477546\/contaminated-river-water\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;\" class=\"at-xid-6a0120a58214e4970b017d4185446e970c\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017d4185446e970c-pi.jpg\"  width=\"240\" height=\"185\"   \/><\/a>\nGTN News in Gainesville, which isn&#8217;t even on any of these rivers,\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mygtn.tv\/story\/21477546\/contaminated-river-water\">\nContaminated River Water<\/a>,\n<blockquote>\n<p>\nThere&#8217;s something foul in the water. Valdosta city officials say flooding\nin South Georgia forced over five million gallons of contaminated water\ninto the Withlacoochee River. GTN&#8217;s Ashley Alvarez shows us how this\nwill affect North Central Florida&#8230;.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n&#8220;Diarrhea, fever and basically if you get in contact with the\nwater\u2014 doesn&#8217;t matter, if in this you get in contact with the\nriver\u2014 is you wanna shower. Wash yourself with soap and water.\nIt all depends on the bacteria. When you deal with raw sewage you\nhave many different types of bacteria. There are some bacteria out\nthere that all it takes is one little cell to make you deathly ill.&#8221;\nsaid Mitchell.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<li>\nSuwannee Democrat,\n<a href=\"http:\/\/suwanneedemocrat.com\/mayo\/x564669419\/Rivers-flooding-update-March-4-7-15-p-m\">\nRivers flooding update, March 4, 7:15 p.m.<\/a>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\nThe Withlacoochee Water Pollution Control Plant in Valdosta, GA has\noverflowed causing 5\u20146 million gallons of raw sewage to spill\ninto the Withlacoochee River, which flows south, connecting with the\nSuwannee River&#8230;.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nIf you have been in contact with the river water, DOH urges you to\nwash your hands thoroughly before eating or drinking. Children and\nelderly as well as people with depressed immune systems are\nparticularly vulnerable to disease so every precaution should be\ntaken to avoid the river water.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nAs a precautionary measure if residents within the immediate area\nfeel their water has been contaminated or the water quality has\nchanged they should boil their water for a minimum of 1 minute on a\nfull rolling boil.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nIf you have any questions please feel free to contact Suwannee\nCounty Sheriff&#8217;s Office ~ Division of Emergency Management at\n386.364.3405.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<li>\nKyla Ryan reported for WCJB-TV, Gainesville,\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wcjb.com\/local-news\/2013\/03\/withlacoochee-and-suwannee-rivers-contaminated\">\nWithlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers Contaminated<\/a>,\n<blockquote>\nFor more information from the Suwannee River Water Management District, please visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mysuwanneeriver.com\/\">here<\/a>.\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<li>\nHardisonInk.com Police, Chiefland, Levy County, FL,\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hardisonink.com\/police.html\">\nState warns Tri-County Area:\nBeware of river contamination;\nWastewater plant&#8217;s overflow may impact Withlacoochee and Suwannee rivers.<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>\nAJC, Atlanta,\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ajc.com\/news\/ap\/georgia\/residents-cautioned-with-wastewater-contamination\/nWfnr\/\">\nResidents cautioned with wastewater contamination<\/a>.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/topics\/water\/vldssw\/img3.html\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;\" class=\"at-xid-6a0120a58214e4970b017d41732bb6970c\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017d41732bb6970c-pi.png\"    \/><\/a>\nValdosta&#8217;s press release,\n<a href=\"\/blog\/2013\/03\/withlacoochee-wastewater-treatment-plant-fully-operational.html\">\nWithlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant Fully Operational<\/a>,\nsaid:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote>\nThe Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant flooded in its current\nlocation in the unincorporated area of Lowndes County, which is at the\nbottom of a 1,500 square mile drainage basin and the source of most of\nthe flood waters received at the plant and throughout the city.\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wwals.net\/2013\/01\/07\/our-wwals-watersheds-2\/\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;\" class=\"at-xid-6a0120a58214e4970b017d41854477970c\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017d41854477970c-pi.jpg\"    \/><\/a>\nThat&#8217;s a very Valdosta-centric way of looking at it.\nThe watersheds that go through Valdosta also extend\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wwals.net\/2013\/01\/07\/our-wwals-watersheds-2\/\">\nthrough the south half of Lowndes County into\nMadison County and Hamilton County Florida<\/a>.\nWhat Valdosta surges up out of Valdosta manholes runs into the\nWithlacoochee on the west side of town and the Alapaha on the\neast side of town.\nNow the east side may have been less affected because apparently\nValdosta&#8217;s Mud Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant has already been\nupgraded and didn&#8217;t have a problem this flood.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nBut as we&#8217;ve all heard lately, Valdosta&#8217;s Withlacoochee Wastewater\nTreatment Plant was not operational during the flood and,\nas WCTV in Tallahassee reminded us,\n<a href=\"\/blog\/2013\/03\/valdosta-neighborhood-covered-in-raw-sewage-wctv.html\">\nwaste was bubbling up manholes and out into people&#8217;s back yards<\/a>\nand into the streams going into the Withlacoochee River.\nValdosta&#8217;s PR also said:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wwals.net\/2013\/01\/07\/our-wwals-watersheds-2\/\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;\" class=\"at-xid-6a0120a58214e4970b017d4185447e970c\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017d4185447e970c-pi.jpg\"    \/><\/a>\nThe city&#8217;s drinking water supply is in no way\naffected by the recent flood event.\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\nThat may be true, but what about the drinking water supplies\nof people downstream?\nWhat about their backyards?\nWhat about the fish and the wildlife?\n<\/p>\n<p>\nI&#8217;m all for Valdosta getting funding to fix its wastewater problems.\nBut it might get more help if it didn&#8217;t act like the world ended\ndownstream of Valdosta and things upstream only matter because they\nflow down to Valdosta.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n-jsq\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The VDT had a small front page headline yesterday: &#8220;Floridians warned about river contamination&#8221;. That story was also heard in Florida, in Madison, Gainesville, and elsewhere, emphasizing something that Valdosta didn&#8217;t mention: people live downstream of Valdosta&#8217;s wastewater spill, all the way down the Withlacoochee and the Suwannee Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. The [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[48,40,16,203,8,41,32,73,133,55],"tags":[372,377,365,8720,8717,373,375,366,8706,376,8751,243,8701,367,343,368,8718,369,8702,370,12,7,364,371,8715,8731,61,378,223,296,6,8742,374,8727,58],"class_list":["post-51","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-code-enforcement","category-community","category-environment","category-florida","category-georgia","category-health-care","category-pollution","category-safety","category-vdt","category-water","tag-atlanta","tag-bacteria","tag-chiefland","tag-code-enforcement","tag-community","tag-contamination","tag-diarrhea","tag-dixie-county","tag-environment","tag-fever","tag-florida","tag-gainesville","tag-georgia","tag-gilchrist-county","tag-gulf-of-mexico","tag-hamilton-county","tag-health-care","tag-lafayette-county","tag-lake","tag-levy-county","tag-lowndes-area-knowledge-exchange","tag-lowndes-county","tag-madison","tag-madison-county","tag-pollution","tag-safety","tag-sewage","tag-soap","tag-suwannee-county","tag-suwannee-river","tag-valdosta","tag-vdt","tag-wash","tag-water","tag-withlacoochee-river"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p585fK-P","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}